Content Area(s): Life Science Topic: Low dose aspirin therapy for cancer treatment Short description: American Cancer Society scientists are considering recommending that a low dose of aspirin be taken daily as preventative care for cancer just as it is for its cardiovascular benefits.
Claim: Taking a low dose of aspirin daily could reduce your risk of dying from cancer.
Keywords: cancer, aspirin Difficulty of Concept: Easy
MS-ETS1 Engineering Design
MS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/Literacy
RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Aspirin is one of the most common medicines in the world. It was used originally for pain relief, but for many years it has also been used to treat heart conditions. Millions of Americans take a small dose of aspirin every day to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Aspirin helps with heart conditions by thinning out the blood. This reduces the chance of a blood clot, which can cause heart attacks or strokes. Now it seems like aspirin could also be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer.
Researchers at the American Cancer Society looked at 50 different studies and calculated that taking aspirin daily for five years lowers the risk of dying from cancer by around 40%. Peter Rothwell, a researcher at Oxford University, reports that aspirin can lower the risk of cancer spreading throughout the body by forty to fifty percent.
But aspirin can also cause internal bleeding for some patients. Aspirin can also irritate the stomach and cause ulcers. Because of this, many doctors think that taking aspirin regularly might not be worth the risks for some patients.
Title: Aspirin Reduces Cancer Deaths
Content Area(s): Life ScienceTopic: Low dose aspirin therapy for cancer treatment
Short description: American Cancer Society scientists are considering recommending that a low dose of aspirin be taken daily as preventative care for cancer just as it is for its cardiovascular benefits.
Claim: Taking a low dose of aspirin daily could reduce your risk of dying from cancer.
Keywords: cancer, aspirin
Difficulty of Concept: Easy
Reading Level (Pit Stop 8 Article):
Flesch Reading Ease: 56.9Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 9.3
Lexile: 1110
Next Generation Science Standards:
MS-ETS1 Engineering DesignMS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.
Common Core State Standards Connections:
ELA/LiteracyRST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to the precise details of explanations descriptions.
RST.6-8.8 Distinguish among facts and reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
WHST.6-8.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational text to support analysis, reflection and research.
SL.8.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions(one-on-one, in groups, teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
Vocabulary Words: low dose, preventative, metastasis, cardiovascular
Topic of Game Introduction Video: Do's and Donts: Reasonable Arguements
Link to Game Introduction Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq1Fyyczd6s
Full Text of Article:
Aspirin is one of the most common medicines in the world. It was used originally for pain relief, but for many years it has also been used to treat heart conditions. Millions of Americans take a small dose of aspirin every day to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Aspirin helps with heart conditions by thinning out the blood. This reduces the chance of a blood clot, which can cause heart attacks or strokes. Now it seems like aspirin could also be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer.Researchers at the American Cancer Society looked at 50 different studies and calculated that taking aspirin daily for five years lowers the risk of dying from cancer by around 40%. Peter Rothwell, a researcher at Oxford University, reports that aspirin can lower the risk of cancer spreading throughout the body by forty to fifty percent.
But aspirin can also cause internal bleeding for some patients. Aspirin can also irritate the stomach and cause ulcers. Because of this, many doctors think that taking aspirin regularly might not be worth the risks for some patients.
References/Sources:
Additional Content:
Author: Kathy Carlsen